A Hard Day's Night
by So Electric
Summary: The story of Lily, Petunia, and the Maurauders' Lives As Hogwarts Students
1. Introduction

Lily Evans sat quietly in the window seat. She leaned on her elbow and looked out. The beautiful countryside welcomed her. Her hip, faded bellbottoms and tie-dyed pink shirt floated in the tender breeze. Her sister, Petunia was sitting on the twin window seat in their room, her neat skirt and sweater ensemble looked exceedingly elegant. ^Twins.I hate being a twin.^ Lily thought. ^Twins everything. I love Pet and I know she loves me. but why do mum and dad think we're duplicates? We're * fraternal * twins for heaven's sake. We don't even look alike. Yet we're the same. I wish I could be Lily. Not LilyandPetunia.^  
  
Petunia soon busied herself cleaning up the room. Petunia was * very * proud of their room. She and Lily had the attic. Their father, when he was around had made two sleigh beds and a rocking chair for their room. Granny, before she died, quilted comforters. Pink for Petunia and yellow for Lily. Their room looked * expensive *. Nothing any of their friends could say. They lived in a tiny town south of Birmingham. Their father played teacher to a team of raggedy and the most unlikely candidates for students. Their mother was a housekeeper for a very wealthy family, the Potters. Lily and Petunia * never * saw their parents. Their mother left them porridge and milk in the mornings and packed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch and old meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner. That's why it was a surprise when their mother came home from work early. "Girls." she said in a quiet voice. "I've got something to tell you."  
  
"Wow." Petunia exclaimed. Lily was quiet. She walked over to the record player and turned on her favorite song. "I never wanna say goodbye girl, ooh ooh baby." the Jackson Five song played across their room. Lily curled up into a ball and cried.  
  
"Run along now. The cake is ready." Mrs. Evans rushed into the kitchen and using a homemade oven mitt released the vanilla cake. "Soon they'll be gone for a whole year," she muttered. "Lucky it is that I walked in on Mr. Potter and a third year from this Wogharts or whatever it is. He could go to jail for that. He told me I could have anything. I told him that I want my two girls gone. They'll be going soon." Using chocolate icing, she wrote Happy Birthday and Bon Voyage! Mrs. Evans smiled and left the cake to cool. 


	2. She's leaving Home

Author's note: This chappie is much better than last. Reply! I'll probably stop this story if I don't get at least 5 reviews, so review!  
  
  
  
Wednesday morning at five o'clock as the day begins  
  
Silently closing her bedroom door  
  
Leaving the note that she hoped would say more  
  
She goes downstairs to the kitchen clutching her handkerchief  
  
Quietly turning the backdoor key  
  
Stepping outside she is free  
  
She (We gave her most of our lives)  
  
is leaving (Sacrificed most of our lives)  
  
home (We gave her everything money could buy)  
  
She's leaving home after living alone  
  
For so many years. Bye, bye  
  
Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing gown  
  
Picks up the letter that's lying there  
  
Standing alone at the top of the stairs  
  
She breaks down and cries to her husband  
  
Daddy, our baby's gone  
  
–The Beatles  
  
She's Leaving Home  
  
  
  
  
  
The night before, Lily snuck into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Her mother, a glass of brandy in her hand, was talking quite loudly. Lily entered the room, and her mother spun around, fire in her eyes. "You!" she shouted. "You and your sister will cause my demise. I hate you! You are the bane of my existence. I wish you were never born. I never want to see you again." Tears streamed down both Lily and her mother's faces. "Mum." She whispered. "I love you, I love you so, so much." Her mother smashed the brandy glass on the floor and sank, slowly to the ground and clawed the tile. Lily sat and patted her mum's back for hours and when her mother was asleep, swept up the shattered goblet and licked a bit of brandy from a particularly large piece of glass. Laying, her head on her mother's back, she said a prayer. "Dear Lord," she whispered. "Please let me find friends at my new school. More than anything, I want friends. A-and someone who loves me. Amen." Then, like a wounded animal, she cried to the moon.  
  
Lily looked around, silently searching for Petunia. Ah-ha. Her eyes zeroed in on her sister, Petunia was still packing her clothing, Lily had finished ages ago. Lily really didn't understand the whole witch concept, but had been suspecting something outrageous. Her parents had been acting so strange lately, always whispering and her father always smiling sadly at her. Her mother had broken the news to her, that she was a witch, a couple of days after her eleventh birthday. Petunia had been heartbroken. She didn't want to leave any of her friends, it had taken her so long to make and find them. Lily hadn't been too sad, nobody really understood Lily, except for Petunia. Lily often cried, very very late at night. Petunia always heard her but never said anything. She didn't want her sister to be sad, but she didn't want to lose any friends either. But Lily and Petunia were close friends, both pretty, not stunning, but nice to look at. Lily had nice, long, light brown curls and big, piercing, green eyes and a scatter of freckles across her nicely shaped nose. Petunia was a bit prettier, in her own opinion mostly; she had long, light blonde hair and large, blue eyes, but she also had a humongous nose and an awkward neck.  
  
Papa ushered the two into the large, black car and waved goodbye, Mr. Potter was driving the twins and his own son, James, same year, to King's Cross. Papa gave Lily a kiss. "Don't you ever forget me, forget us. I love you. I will always love you. Your mother doesn't know, doesn't understand. She doesn't know how to love. But me, I know, I love you, forever and always." He handed her a piece of folded piece of paper. Mr. Potter's son, James, was sitting on the other side of the car. He grinned at her. She winked back at him. After her parents were back in the house and they were zooming down the road, she opened up the piece of paper. In her father's messy handwriting it said:  
  
Dear Lily and Petunia:  
  
I love you more than you can imagine, you are miracles, the both of you. You are worth more than any amount of money. I love you.  
  
These songs describe you. You girls are so much a part of me.  
  
  
  
Any time at all, any time at all, any time at all , all  
  
you've gotta do is call and I'll be there.  
  
If you need somebody to love, just look into my eyes, I'll  
  
be there to make you feel right.  
  
If you're feeling sorry and sad, I'd really sympathize.  
  
Don't you be sad, just call me tonight.  
  
Any time at all, any time at all, any time at all , all  
  
you've gotta do is call and I'll be there.  
  
-The Beatles  
  
1 Any Time At All  
  
  
  
And though you don't believe that they do  
  
They do come true  
  
For did my dreams  
  
Come true when I looked at you  
  
And maybe too, if you would believe  
  
–Stevie Wonder  
  
Overjoyed  
  
Later, much later, after the sorting had been done, Lily and Petunia ripped the letter in half. That night and for the rest of the nights for the rest of her life, she placed it under her pillow and slept. (Author's Note: No, I Didn't Just Rush through the Train Ride and stuff, there will be another chapter on that) 


	3. First Impressions

Ch. 3  
  
First impressions are misleading  
  
That's what they say  
  
Sweet affection should grow slowly  
  
And steady and deeper every day  
  
And I may be reachin' for a star  
  
I should take the time to know you better  
  
Don't know who you really are  
  
But here we are  
  
Magic moments don't come easy  
  
I could be wrong  
  
But this feeling keeps on flowin'  
  
Growin' and comin' on real strong  
  
Though don't know who you really are  
  
Tonight I got to feel my arms around you  
  
May be reaching for a star  
  
But here we are  
  
Got to go with first impression  
  
First impressions can sometimes lead to love  
  
Got to go with first impression  
  
First impressions can sometimes lead to love  
  
Lead to love  
  
-The Stylistics  
  
First Impressions  
  
Lily and Petunia sat quietly next to each other. Petunia glanced at James and smiled winningly at him. He frowned a little and scooted a little bit over. He smiled at Lily. Lily gave a small grin. Petunia seethed and squirmed in her seat. She whipped out her current book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Mr. Potter made small talk. "Supplies, you guys got your wands and things?" Petunia glanced at Lily. "Um.supplies?" Mr. Potter chuckled. "You haven't got any supplies? That's all right, first years are allowed in Hogsmeade and you can buy your things here. But James and I went to a new development, almost like Muggle malls, it is. Called Diagon Alley. Some say it'll replace Hogsmeade, ehh, I don't think so." After about thirty minutes, the four arrived at King's Cross. Petunia and Lily each carried a small suitcase while James was laden with several duffel bags, suitcases, and a large cage with a jet-black owl with steel gray eyes. Lily was enchanted with the owl. James noticed her staring.  
  
"Like her, dontcha?" Lily nodded slowly, her mouth hanging open a bit. "Her name's Yeux étonnants. It means."  
  
"She knows what it means." Petunia snapped. "We're not stupid, just because our mother is your maid doesn't mean we're idiots. Our dad is a teacher and we speak French.yeah, we're fluent." Lily took in a sharp breath. She couldn't believe her sister was lying so outrageously. They spoke a little French, enough to have a minimal conversation. And who did Petunia think she was anyway? She and James were just beginning to get to know each other, they might even become friends and Petunia was ruining it. "Are your parents French?" she inquired quietly. James nodded.  
  
"Yeah." He cocked his head to one side. "My mum's French, I mean she * was * French. She ran away with her beau. back to Paris, I guess. Her name's Genevieve, I suppose I'll go see her one day." He stopped startled. Why had he been sharing this super-personal information with this stranger? He noticed a flash of wild, black hair. "See you Lily! Sirius, I haven't seen you in ages!" A handsome young man with wild black hair and a bright red shirt and jeans exchanged a complicated friendship handshake with James. "Sirius this is Lily. She's a. friend." Sirius exaggeratedly winked at James and James shoved him playfully, turning the color of Sirius' shirt. Lily flushed. A big red sign popped up. "Friends!" it exclaimed. Don't mess it up. She thought to herself. A pretty girl Lily's age with a big, green eyes; dark brown skin and smooth, curly, black hair appeared, socking Sirius lightly on the arm. "Aren't you gonna introduce us?" she asked, hugging him close. Lily was shocked that two kids, only eleven years old could be so close. Sirius pecked her on the cheek. "This is my g-, err. friend, well, girl." The girl extended her hand. "I'm Amelia Johnson," she said, flushing prettily. Lily smiled cheerily, shaking her hand. "I'm Lily Evans." Lily looked over, checking on her twin. Petunia was sitting on a bench, her nose buried in her thick volume.  
  
Toot! Toot! A scarlet locomotive appeared, turning around the bend. Sirius's older sister, Patricia, whom Lily was introduced to later, rounded up Lily, Amelia, Sirius, James, and Petunia and herded them onto the train. The train ride was uneventful. They swapped Sorting Hat horror stories. "Heard they stab you with a hundred needles and if your blood is red you're a Gryffindor." And James bought their whole car chocolate frogs. Then, with a terrific jolt, the train stopped in the middle of nowhere. 


	4. New Beginnings

I've made up my mind  
  
It's time for a new beginning  
  
I'm livin' my life  
  
It's time for a new beginning  
  
It's time for a new beginning  
  
Yeh......  
  
I\ve made up my mind  
  
It's time for a new beginning  
  
I'm livin' my mind  
  
It's time for a new beginning  
  
Come on,Come on  
  
There's gotta be a better way  
  
Come on,Come on  
  
There's gotta be a better way  
  
-Stephen Gately New Beginning  
  
  
  
Aaaah! James shrieked loudly and clung to Lily. "Oh get off James." she said with mock annoyance. "J-James. I wish Remus were here to see you." Sirius roared with laughter. Amelia looked at him solemnly. "Really. I knew it would come some day. He's mad. He's bloody mad."  
  
"You wish I were here so I could see what?" James straightened up. "Remus!" he called. A tall, thin boy with sandy hair and clear, green eyes leaned in the doorway. Petunia turned scarlet and straightened her robes. Sirius and James sat up like army generals and attempted to appear macho. "Who are these lovely ladies?" Remus asked with a coy and flirtatious smirk. It appeared that the boys weren't going to introduce themselves. "I'm Amelia." Amelia extended her hand and smiled charmingly. "I'm Lily and this is my sister Petunia." Lily said, flushing. Petunia grinned. "He-llo Petunia!" Remus said, winking. Petunia and Remus sat awfully quiet and chatted for a few minutes. Ten minutes later, Patricia arrived in their cart. "Welcome to Hogwarts." she said smugly.  
  
It was raining horribly. Lily pulled her heavy, winter coat over her head. The raindrops fell, making the lake look magical. I wonder, that when I have a child. and he or he starts Hogwarts.I wonder if it'll be raining then too. A very, very thin man with pale, straight hair and warm, brown eyes ushered the children into a fleet of boats. "Right over here." he said. The first years piled into boats. Petunia was in a different boat than Lily. Luckily, Petunia had met two conservative girls, Xien Chang and one of the Patil twins, Patricia. Lily was in a boat with Amelia, Sirius, Remus, James, Chrissa Johnson, and the other Patil twin, Piper. The thin man also got in their boat. Amelia and Lily whispered excitedly between themselves. James nudged Sirius. "Five says you don't ask him what his name is." Sirius smiled charmingly back. "I do, I do. Excuse me, mister. What is your name?" The man grinned at them cheerfully. "Monsieur L'Amical. I am the gamekeeper here at Hogwarts." Just then, a deafening scream sounded over the lake. Chrissa looked back. "Oh no! Somebody feel in." Monsieur looked back too. "A Creevey falls every year."  
  
"Oh.wow." Lily said, her mouth agape. A colossal, mysterious, unearthly, yet enormously ravishing fortress stood on the edge of a hill. Everyone else looked up at the estate, awed. The boats sailed in the dark night very quietly arriving finally at the castle. They walked up the dark, damp path to the enormous doors of the castle. A towering, horribly lank man with long, dark hair and a crooked nose met them at the door. "Hello, I am Professor Dumbledore and I am the head of the Gryffindor house. I will be leading you to the sorting dinner." The astonished children talked in hushed tones swapping stories and myths. Long tables with bejeweled candelabras and enormous Queen Anne chairs filled with an immense amount of kids. There were so many kids and so much food. A large throne covered with gems and fine material sat on a golden platform. A tattered, ebon hat was perched on an ornate, antique table. Everyone in the dining hall was quiet.  
  
You may not understand why Something as unattractive as me is more intelligent than I seem to be Cause long ago ol' Gryff, Rav, Slyth, and Puff made moi It took them how many days? Trois. So they said let's make a groovy hat to sort these new kids Slytherin tried to buy it but Gryffindor made the highest bid. So if you're chosen as a Gryffindor you're brave and friendly as the kids next door. Ravenclaw well you're smart and if you're placed in Slytherin then, you're awful tart. Hufflepuff means you're loyal and sweet And I know you wanna eat. So I'm gonna end my song. Now this won't take long. Abrams, Christopher!"  
  
Christopher, a swarthy boy went up to the hat haughtily. After a few seconds the hat shouted. "There's no doubt about it, you're a Slytherin .  
  
Lily dozed off on Petunia's soldier and before she knew it, the hat called, "Evans, Lily!" James, Remus, Amelia, Sirius, and Petunia clapped for her and Lily turned beet reed.  
  
Well, you're really smart so you'd do well as a Ravenclaw. What do you think?" It doesn't really matter to me. I don't really know anything. You're loyal and sweet. Perhaps you'd be good as a Hufflepuff. Once again, it doesn't matter. But you know you're really brave. And you'll need that bravery to face the future. SO this is it. Gryffindor.  
  
The Gryffindor table clapped excitedly. "Evans, Petunia." Petunia walked up to the hat, scared. Lily, Patricia, and Xien clapped for Petunia. Well, where do you wanna be. Not with my sister. Okay, fine then. You're easy. That's right, you're a Ravenclaw . Lily's eyes looked forlorn. A piece of me is missing. She thought. A piece of me is gone. 


End file.
